Over the past 30 years, PowerPoint has become central to the way business people communicate with each other. You can question whether this is a good thing – I always advise people to think about using other ways to get messages across. But the fact is, most of us feel we have to use PowerPoint a lot. Many business people see many PowerPoint presentations every working day.
So, if it is a necessary evil, you might as well do it well. How can you make your PowerPoint as effective as possible, and help your ideas and messages stand out from everyone else’s?
Effective messaging
First, choose your words carefully. Speak plainly. Don’t say “there is a potential estimated £1m incremental sales opportunity at shoppers’ prices”. Just say “£1m prize”.
Think about the emotional power of words. Don’t say “our analysis demonstrates there are opportunities for Greggs amongst certain audiences during a number of day-parts”. Just say “Greggs is leaving money on the table”.
Second, use arresting images. Normally single images work best. It’s common to see many images on one slide, but if you use just one, it focuses the audience on the central point you’re making. If the image is apposite and striking enough, it should do the job on its own. Images from stores are effective and hard to argue with. Hand-drawn images are effective – they bring humanity and life to a slide. AI will make “hand-drawn” more realistic and affordable.
Third, use numbers sparingly. Remember the principle of magic numbers. The more numbers you use, the less effective they become. One or two numbers to nail your point is good. Certainly have more numbers at hand if needed, but keep them off your slides.
Less is more
So you can improve your PowerPoint by optimising words, images and numbers. One principle sits above all this: less is more. Strive for fewer words, fewer pictures, fewer numbers, fewer slides.
The sting in the tail? To do this, and to get to punchy and effective presentations, you have to think very hard about your core argument. So, if you have 10 days to prepare an important presentation, spend the first nine talking with colleagues and getting lined up on the story. Only start the PowerPoint on day 10.
That is far more effective than asking everyone to do a few slides, then meeting up to try and impose some sense and structure on all that.
Whether we like it or not, PowerPoint is important. You probably have to use it a lot. So getting better at using it is worth time and thought. Flat, dry presentations suck the life out of meetings and obscure good ideas. It’s not just what you say, it’s how you say it.
Jeremy Garlick, partner at Insight Traction
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